Moto3 Netherlands Assen Race: Ivan Ortola disgusts the stands at the photo finish!

In the choir of Assen Cathedral, the Moto3 race promised to be more open than ever. She did not disappoint in the slightest. Ivan Ortola emerges victorious from this clash which will be remembered. Before the start, it was very difficult to identify a favorite. Certainly, we felt the local Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) was very strong, ahead during two practice sessions, but for all that, he experienced a big fall in qualifying which prevented him from taking pole. This went to the Spanish rookie Angel Piqueras (Honda Leopard Racing), first at the start ahead of an astonishing Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia). Ivan Ortola (KTM MT Helmets MSi), leader during the FP, could not be excluded, just like the championship favorites who started from much further away; David Alonso (CFMoto Aspar Team), 13th, and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GasGas Tech3), 15th. Both had a complicated weekend but remained threats not to be underestimated.

Even if you already know the result of the race, come relive it with us! Before starting, here is a table which summarizes the known facts:

 

Moto3™ Netherlands, Assen	2023	2024
FP	1'41.667 Jaume Masia	1'40.610 Ivan Ortola
P1	1'41.579 Jaume Masia	1'40.259 Collin Veijer
P2	1'41.713 Stefano Nepa	1'39.703 Collin Veijer
Q1	1'42.036 Taiyo Furusato	1'40.380 José Antonio Rueda
Q2	1'41.181 David Munoz	1'39.746 Angel Piqueras
Course	Masiá, Sasaki, Öncü (See here)	Ortola, Veijer, Munoz
All time lap record	1'41.181 David Muñoz (2023)	1'39.703 Collin Veijer

 

As since Friday, the weather is mild with the players in the smallest categories. A few penalties for slowdowns in qualifying have been handed out (which consist of double long-lapses), but the front row remains unchanged. Tempers are heating up… and fires are going out!

 

 

When releasing the clutch, Angel Piqueras does the best, and he is immediately chased by Ivan Ortola. Excellent start to Joel Esteban (CFMoto Aspar Team), who has a penalty to serve. Taiyo Furusato is in on the action, as is the local hero Collin Veijer.

Ivan Ortola goes on the attack and takes control, but Piqueras stays in the game. David Munoz (KTM Boé Motorsports), disappointing so far, is also very fast.

 

 

A small group of four formed in front, composed of Ortola, Piqueras, Veijer et Furusato. But behind it, it's hard to get back up. Munoz takes a few pilots with him to form a train of a dozen heroes. The first two in the championship, David Alonso et Daniel Holgado, are 8th and 9th respectively.

 

 

As usual, there is a lot of battle on all levels. This allows Ivan Ortola et Taiyo Furusato to escape somewhat. Moreover, Tastuki Suzuki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) fell. The two in the lead do not escape Collin Veijer, which goes back visibly. In front of his audience, he does not want to disappoint. The race is rather calm, apart from a few overtakes signed David Munoz et Adrian fernandez (Honda Leopard Racing).

 

 

Veijer goes second with 11 laps to go. He does not have any more that Ortola to double. David Alonso came back, in sixth position, ready to attack. And now he is in the lead, while the crowd roars! Furusato take the opportunity to free yourself fromIvan Ortola in turn. The latter loses a lot of positions, he is totally confused! Finally, he comes to his senses.

 

 

ortola goes on the hunt again, he doesn't want to leave anything behind Veijer. Daniel Holgado, in difficulty, is warned for having exceeded the track limits too often. Watch out for the long lap!

Collin Veijer tries to open a small gap, he is very impressive… but he does not succeed. Taiyo Furusato completely missed six laps from the end, and found himself at the back of the group. It seems like David Alonso has gone into overdrive, there is no doubt that it will be very dangerous at the end of the race.

 

 

David Alonso goes second with five laps to go, he still has to make up a few tenths to overtake Collin Veijer. David munoz follows him closely, watch out for the Spaniard. The Dutchman is half a second ahead, he is gaining ground! Veijer made a real demonstration in the last laps, he increased his advantage to one second in the snap of his fingers! But there are still three rounds to go. Small errorAdrian fernandez in the last chicane, perhaps too late to get the podium.

Ivan Ortola takes back second place, can he go and get Veijer ? David Munoz shows his fangs, he is unleashed! With two laps to go, it seems unthinkable that a driver would go after the national hero.

 

 

More Ivan Ortola achieves his best lap of the race in the penultimate loop, can he achieve the impossible? He's closer than ever, he'll try something, that's for sure. But a final attack in the last chicane allowed him to win by barely a hundredth of a second! What a late effort of Ortola. Veijer is second on the line, at the photo finish. David Munoz takes third place and completes the podium.

 

 

The public congratulates all the same Veijer, and vice versa. This is the closest finish in Moto3 at Assen, what a race. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is fourth, just ahead of the world championship leader David Alonso. Not the dream weekend for the Colombian, certainly, but it's still better than his rival Daniel Holgado, 11th on the line. This is the first victory ofIvan Ortola this year, the outsider that we expected was perhaps stronger at the start of the year.

 

3 Moto2024 Dutch Grand Prix result:

 

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

Cover photo: MT Helmets MSi